When I was at PowerLOC two weeks ago, we also had the chance to play with the one or the other GPS receiver and the most interesting for me was the SD Card sample, PowerLOC had in the office.
So for sure I've tried it how it would fits into a Microsoft Smartphone and the result isn't that surprising at all:

Hmmm... :lol: I wonder if this is the future or if a Bluetooth receiver isn't more convenient to be used with Smartphones! ;-)

Also I wonder - because we discussed this topic for sure too - if you would use a navigation system on your Smartphone and what you would expect from it? Do you need the full blown maps like we already have for Pocket PCs like TomTom or Destinator or would a reduced version with pictograms enough?

I for myself have to admit that a pictogram version (like the right one below) with voice commands would be enough. I'm already using such a "reduced" navigation from Audi in my car instead of the full blown map version (left below).

BTW: The photos above of the Smartphone with GPS receiver are for demonstration only because currently there is no driver available for that GPS card on a Microsoft Smartphone.

T-Mobile Germany offers car navigation software and hardware for nokia series 60 phones that have 176x208 resolution. MS Smartphone has 176x220 so certainly it would be suitable for this application.

Posted by McHale on 02.12.03 - 11:06:45

When are vendors going to realize that the SD slot would make more sense on the TOP of the phone and the IR on the side?

Dumb dumb dumb... as pics illustrate. Wi-Fi in the same spot is probably going to get broken the first time I try to shove it in my pocket without removing it...

Posted by Arne Hess on 02.12.03 - 11:14:15

@McHale: While i completely agree with you with SD slots on top (like we have it with the xda II also now) I see one problem with IrDA:

For IrDA we need a master/slave system then like Notebooks are master and always have the port on the right side while phones are slaves and therefore should have the port on the left side. But what's with a Pocket PC? Master or slave?

Posted by jing on 02.12.03 - 12:27:41

as you may have heard...i believe some politician is pushing to rename the master/slave naming convention because it is not politically correct---haha.

Well, that's a good one - suggesting not to use that terms anymore but not suggesting alternatives...

Well, since I'm not located I don't have to care it... ;-) Maybe I should better use the German terms? :-D

Posted by McHale on 04.12.03 - 07:52:18

Arne,

Before I make this reply, know that I completely dig your site, find your sale of the Smartphones not only a great service but at an awesome price as well, and realize that you are a fellow geek who I respect for your technical knowledge.

That said, my Sony VAIO has the IR on the left. My Gateway has the IR in the back (this one STILL confuses me). My Thinkpad has the IR on the left. Is this a standard that the US stuff isn't aware of? Nobody would care less which side the IR is on on the smartphone. I don't think it's a big deal to turn my Nokia 6800 backwards for IR to work. Besides, with bluetooth being more common on laptops, isn't this almost irrelavent? Supposedly bluetooth has all the bugs worked out!

-Mc

Posted by robinton on 05.12.03 - 23:42:40

Just to add to your confusion... My Compaq Evo has the Ir port on the Front-Left.

Posted by Joseph Petry on 12.12.03 - 22:18:44

Does this unit have the ay eye dees?

Posted by Henri Zwering on 13.12.03 - 12:09:17

Can you connect a general GPS-mouse to the SPV E200 and should TomTom Nav (now on my Jornada) work?

Posted by Hugo Batista on 18.12.03 - 02:46:11

Hi!

Well, i'm right now designing a software prototype with navigation... and thinking on smartphones as one of the devices that i need to support. Until i saw your pictures, i nevere realized that SD was on the left of SPV.. what a stupid engineering!